Hitch-Mounted

When you’re going someplace and want to take your bike (or bikes) with you, you’ve got a couple of different options for bike racks. You can choose from trunk-mounted racks (for sedans), spare tire-mounted racks (for SUVs), or hitch-mounted racks that install directly on your receiver hitch. Companies like Thule and Yakima regularly lead the way in design and innovation for hitch mounted bike racks, especially since many of their designers and employees are mountain biking and bike racing enthusiasts themselves. From their field experience, they can easily see innovations and improvements that can be made in hitch mounted bike racks, then take those ideas back to the office and drawing board to act on them.

For years, the main drawback of hitch-mounted racks has been the difficulty of getting into the rear of the vehicle with the rack and bikes in place. This is no longer the case, though; the Thule Helium bike rack swings downward to allow access to the rear doors or hatch. Yakima’s Holdup hitch-mounted bike rack, which supports bikes from underneath rather than hanging them from an arm, folds up when you need to get to the back of the vehicle. Thule’s Revolver bike rack (which accommodates as many as four bicycles) swings out and to the side, completely out of the way for full access to the vehicle’s rear doors or hatch.

Manufacturers like Thule and Yakima understand that it can be difficult to haul bicycles, even in a roomy SUV or minivan. They’ve made their names on practical, affordable solutions for that problem; whether your passion is mountain biking, bike racing, or just heading down the beach on a cruiser bike, there’s a hitch mounted bike rack that will be a good fit for your needs and your wallet!